Psychological Thriller Short Stories

"Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street" is a short story by the American writer Herman Melville, first serialized anonymously in two parts in the November and December 1853 issues of Putnam's Magazine, and reprinted with minor textual alterations in his The Piazza Tales in 1856. A Wall Street lawyer hires a new clerk who, after an initial bout of hard work, refuses to make copy and any other task required of him, with the words "I would prefer not to".

This issue of Assemble Artifacts is packed with thrillers, sci-fi, horror, and more. It features Hongfei Liu's brilliant artwork and stories of elite survival, supernatural battles, and eerie mysteries. You'll find haunting twists on a childhood tale, genetic secrets with life-or-death stakes, and unsettling explorations of relationships under pressure.

Hunter of the Light Series: Book 6 of 15 Will Rachel's life ever feel normal again? Rachel thought her life was finally getting some normalcy after the harrowing feats of exposing the founding family of their horrific crimes against the children. She was wrong. Rachel befriends a teenager she rescued and realizes they have a lot in common. Rachel and Adam also reconnect with a founding member imprisoned for murder. Death still lurks around the corner and creeps into her sleep, her visions and her town. Fog, dread, terror … and she must face it head-on.

Twenty-eight-year-old Kade hasn't been able to make it past his sidewalk in eight years. In this chilling short story, you will be given a glimpse into the inner workings of his mind as he goes through the process of trying to face his irrational but very real fears.

This collection of thrilling short stories, each capable of being devoured in one sitting, is a rollercoaster of drama, intrigue, and unexpected twists. Brace yourself for the unexpected at every turn of the page, as you meet a diverse cast of engaging characters who will draw you into their world. **Hated** - Tan and his friends think it will be amusing to discover who's searching for them online. However, Tan is not amused to find out that someone is trying to confirm whether he's dead. **Inertia** - Martin has proven that we live in a simulation. Now, he finds himself at the mercy of its...

Sarah Vernon has spent 20 years trying to make it as a novelist...and she’s never even come close. None of her novels has sold more than 5,000 copies, and she’s never earned enough money to make fiction her full-time job. After her last disappointing publication, Sarah’s agent dumped her, and it seems like her dream is dead. Sarah vows that she’ll do anything for one last shot at the best seller list. Enter Will Presser. Nicknamed The Viper, Will is a literary agent whose career-making reputation precedes him.

Whatever happened to Oskar and Eli? And what became of the beleaguered families in Handling the Undead? Find out in Let the Old Dreams Die. In other tales from this collection, a woman finds a dead body and decides to keep it for herself, a customs officer has a mysterious gift that enables her to see what others hide, and a man believes he knows how to deceive death. These are the stories of John Ajvide Lindqvist’s rich imagination. They are about love and death, and what we do when the two collide and the monsters emerge.

Diary of a Murderer captivates and provokes in equal measure, exploring what it means to be on the edge - between life and death, good and evil. In the titular novella, a former serial killer suffering from memory loss sets his sights on one final target: his daughter's boyfriend, who he suspects is also a serial killer. In other stories we witness an affair between two childhood friends that questions the limits of loyalty and love; a family's disintegration after a baby son is kidnapped and recovered years later; and more.

A captivating dystopian thriller short story, Crimson Snow will hold you hostage until you finish every last word. If you like Jennifer McMahon, Melinda Leigh, and Emily St. John Mandell, you’ll love Crimson Snow. "A gripping ride into frozen insanity." ~New York Times Bestselling Author Andra Watkins How far could you go to survive? Whom could you sacrifice? Green Valley was once known for its fertile farming, picturesque mountains, and abundant wildlife. Now snow and ice cover all but the tallest homes. The only sounds are Maverick's boots clumping through the snowdrifts and the frigid ...

Sophia's world is a tapestry of secrets, lies, and haunting memories. At just 20, she's determined to unravel the tragic events that have shadowed her family for generations. On the glittering French Riviera, amidst the luxurious backdrop of Cannes, Sophia's journey to uncover the truth about her mother's suicide, her grandmother's poisoning, and her grandfather's imprisonment takes her down a dark and dangerous path. Despite a tumultuous and ill-fated love affair that leaves her heartbroken, Sophia finds an unexpected ally in a sophisticated nightclub owner. Together, they delve deep into ...

Hunter of the Light Series: Book 8 of 15 Rachel is worried her new visions may be putting her in even more danger! After her last disturbing vision, Rachel is unsure how much she wants to share with Adam. But before she can make that decision, another conundrum is thrown their way … a dead body shows up on Rachel’s doorstep. Who is she, and where did she come from? As Adam and Rachel look deeper into Patel’s dark past, they realize she may be the answer to all their questions. But are her stories plausible, and do they hold the key to stopping death?

Hunter of The Light Series: Book 10 of 15 The end was near, or so they thought. But how does one defeat death? Patel comes to their rescue, but she has an ulterior motive, and Rachel isn’t sure she can be trusted. What does the woman want with the fog, and what is her obsession with death? Maya, while trying to help Rachel and Adam, is tossed into a world where she has no instruments to navigate. Where is she, and what could they possibly want from her? Could this be a blessing or a curse?

Can a touch be deadly? Rachel and Adam visit one of the founding family members in prison, wanting answers to the many questions they still have. When Patel reaches for Rachel’s hand, she is thrown into the most terrifying and heart-retching visions she’s had yet. Rachel must muddle through a world she barely recognizes to piece together the clues the older woman is showing her. Rachel’s resolve is tested, her love for her kids tried, and her need for grief exploited. She faces enemies that are of her own creation. How will she fare against them?

Susie has a humdrum life working in an airport coffee shop, but it doesn’t stop her from having big dreams. When the planes are grounded, life changes for her after she accepts a new job and a deal that puts her face to face with a serial killer. Who killed Shawn Davis? That’s the question Susie has to answer if she wants a better paycheck.

Are you ready to confront your deepest fears with "The Mourning Choir"–a bone-chilling horror experience that will HAUNT YOUR VERY SOUL?! Step into the eerie world of Emma Winslet, where every shadow holds a secret and the night air is thick with a haunting melody that beckons her closer to eternal darkness. As the clock strikes 3:33 AM, you’ll be drawn into a realm where the past and present collide, and the whispers of lost souls echo in the stillness.

What if the man you buried came back… but something deep inside you whispered he wasn’t yours? Ten years after her husband was declared dead, Claire Palmer opens her front door to the impossible: a man who looks, speaks, and remembers everything like the husband she lost. Michael is back. Or so he says. At first, Claire is swept into the miracle. Her son believes. Her friends are stunned. Even her new husband begins to doubt. But behind Michael’s familiar eyes is a silence she cannot explain… and a scar that should be there is gone. As unsettling clues stack up, Claire faces a ...

Something evil has swept into the small Maine town of Castle Rock on the heels of the latest winter storm. Sheriff Norris Ridgewick and his team are desperately searching for two missing girls, but time is running out to bring them home alive. In Washington, DC, 37-year-old Gwendy Peterson couldn't be more different from the self-conscious teenage girl who once spent a summer running up Castle Rock's Suicide Stairs. That same summer, she was entrusted - or some might say cursed - with the extraordinary button box by a mysterious stranger in a black suit.

Meet Jeff Case before his world explodes. Former soldier. Defender of the innocent. Case may have left a war zone, but he soon discovers that the streets of America are just as dangerous. It was kill or be killed in combat, but Case is ready to turn his back on his military career and start a new life with his wife, Becky. During a final interview for his first civilian job, Case steps in to help a woman in danger. It is the catalyst that kick-starts the day from hell. A day that Case and Becky may not survive.

Terry loves his coffee. One morning while enjoying his daily intake, a stranger approaches his table and accuses Terry of following him. From that moment on, Terry's life becomes a living nightmare as he tries to defend himself from the insanity around him.

Edgar Allan Poe proposed that “the boundary line between instinct and reason is of a very shadowy nature” (1840). With its 21 stories of serial killers and sociopaths, fixations and fetishes, breakdowns and bad decisions crafted by authors as diverse as their writing styles, Shadowy Natures leads fans of psychological horror down dark and treacherous roads to destinations they will be too unsettled to leave.